Jesus knew that until the stage was set for the introduction to the Kingdom, the chances that the message of the Kingdom lasting much beyond His crucifixion was very small. But, if the stage was set, belief in the Kingdom and faith in the Kingdom would be entrenched.  Jesus set out to do this in His disciples. The same is true for you.

The entirety of the Kingdom message then and now rests on the shoulders of faith. Faith is kindled by understanding and understanding is often enhanced as we become curious about knowledge and what makes knowledge - knowledge. We see the system of the how, when, where, and why, of the Kingdom. The Centurion soldier is an example of this type of understanding of the Kingdom system and faith in it. Subsequently, when Jesus saw the Centurion’s understanding of the system and the resulting faith He marveled.

THE FAITH OF THE CENTURION

From the moment I was first assigned to Jesus, and told to keep an eye on the Hebrew Rabi, I knew this man was cut from a different cloth than the rest of the self promoting Hebrew teachers. Day after day, whenever this man came to Capernaum, I would gladly fulfill my assignment and watch everything He did.

Over time I began to observe something almost magical happened as this Jesus would walk the streets. He was humble and soft spoken yet he carried a radiance about Him. At first, I wondered if everybody saw the light or was it just my own imagination responding to a deeper magic than I had been familiar with? Like me, Jesus carried an authority. However, this authority reached far beyond my own. It encompassed not only the known world but moved and shuffled an invisible world that, until now, I had no clue existed. Moreover, the authority Jesus carried seemed to disrupt everything the other Hebrew leaders thought.

After some months of watching this man I recognized there were two types of people who were affected by His presence - the proud, who became angry, and the sick who became whole. The proud, as if driven by some invisible entity, would become agitated and angry when Jesus came around. Funny, but I could actually see that spiritual being in their eyes. In a strange way, it was their heightened repulsion to the Hebrew that actually attracted me to Him.

The other type of people I observed being affected by Jesus were the sick. They had a very different reaction to the Hebrew than the Scribes and priests had. I saw the response of the sick in their eyes as well, but what I saw was not anger, it was hope. Hope that this man, with just a touch, would change their life.

As I took it all in, I had the distinct impression that something far more important was happening. There was an invisible fortress being forged. Perhaps even a Kingdom was being established. I easily saw that Jesus didn’t try to capture the heart of the leaders, but He certainly captured the hearts of the people.

I was keenly aware that invisible forces always seemed to react when this man came near and there was often a conflict between the hope of the person and the presence of the dark invisible spirit. Without fail, when this man would simply come near to someone afflicted by these spirit forces their eyes would light up and hope within that person would cry out. I watched as each time Jesus reached out His hand to touch each one, the spiritual entity left and the person was healed.

I was amazed, I had never seen or even heard of anything like it. This invisible world was not my imagination, it is very, very real and so tangible I saw it transpire right before my eyes. In some way or to some extent, I came to understand that this invisible world must be responsible for the entire affliction that I was seeing in my friends and others.

I had just finished wiping the dust from my armor when I received the message that my trusted servant had an accident. My heart stood still and then broke as I was told my servant was paralyzed and in unbearable pain. My heart was so heavy, I could hardly follow the Hebrew. This was not just any servant, this servant had been with me for years. He even saved my life when I was young. Over time, we formed a bond and I did not want to lose my friend.

Immediately I knew the only hope for my servant was to ask the Hebrew if He would heal him! But, how could a Roman citizen, let alone a Centurion ask a Hebrew to help him do anything. What would my peers think of me if I stooped so low? Just as quickly as the thought came, it just as quickly left. My love for my friend overcame every argument I had. But, now as time had raced by, I had to act quickly, my servant was dying.

I ran toward Jesus and shouted, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” It was then that what I hoped would happen actually did happen. Jesus simply looked up at me and said, “I will come and heal him.” But time was of the essence. I knew there was little time before my friend died. I was concerned that if Jesus took the time to walk there my servant might not be alive when He arrived.

It was then that another strange moment happened.  It was as if an invisible force caused me to remember the reality of the invisible world and all the wonders I had seen take place. I absolutely knew that if Jesus would use His authority He could just speak to that world and my friend would be instantly healed. Time would no longer be an issue.

So I answered Jesus and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, “Go,’ and he goes; and to another, “Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

I’ll admit I was startled at what transpired next, the Hebrew marveled at what I said. He actually turned to those who were following Him and spoke to them saying, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! The next words the I heard were beyond the scope of my hope - they were life transforming.

In one statement, in an electrifying moment of time, all my questions about the Hebrew Rabi were answered. I will never forget the love in the Hebrew’s eyes as He said to me, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.”

Tears flooded my eyes, my legs were no longer heavy, my heart was alive again. I immediately ran for home.  Just as I expected, while I was approaching my house, my servant, my friend came running to meet me. In the wonder of that moment we both discovered that he was healed the very moment Jesus spoke it. We are both forever changed. Nothing can ever change the truth that this Hebrew man called Jesus rules a Kingdom far superior to any earthly Kingdom, my servant and I experienced it.

THE KINGDOM WAS TO BE THE FOCUS OF THEIR PRAYERS

So is it then any wonder that when the followers of Jesus asked Him how they should pray, Jesus gave them the core focus of the prayer in the words - “Pray like this, Your Kingdom Come, your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven …” (Matthew 6:10). Prayer justifies God in releasing the Kingdom to those who ask, and because we asked God is righteous in doing so. A darkened world is waiting for His light.

THE KINGDOM IS TO BE EXPECTED

At His last Passover meal, on the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus reassured the disciples that He would share with them the fellowship and happiness to be found in the Kingdom (Luke 21:22-30). He further promised He would appear to them once again on Earth, in His glory, to bring the blessings of the Kingdom to those it had been prepared for (Matthew 25:31, 34). Thus the Kingdom is here and the Kingdom is coming.

WE ARE TO SEEK THE KINGDOM

MATTHEW 6:33  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

The Kingdom is not neutral, it does not just happen, we have to seek it. But seeking the Kingdom does not work without seeking the accompanying attribute of righteousness. Righteousness is the substance that separates us from darkness. It is what justifies God acting on our behalf and adding to us things we did not even know enough to ask for - “all these things” that will be added to you are priceless, and they are part of life in the Kingdom. Righteousness cannot be obtained nor lived without taking up your Cross to follow after Jesus. The denial of self that the Cross represents is part of the cost for the deeper authority and power of the Kingdom.

THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS A PRESENT REALITY

Because the Kingdom begins within us, the first evidence we experience in the Kingdom comes from and is found within us. The reality of Jesus descending into the core of the Earth after His burial to forever change Sheol is unmistakable. In parallel with that, you can understand that as the Kingdom began in the bowels of the Earth by breaking the authority of the tyrant, the Kingdom via the Holy Spirit, beginning with in you by braking the authority of the tyrant and what he took years to build in you. The Kingdom changes everything from the inside out, after that the evidence of the Kingdom’s existence is seen on the outside.

Luke 17:20-21  “Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 “nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

THE EVIDENCE OF THE KINGDOM WITHIN

Those who allow the Kingdom to work its work within their lives experience righteousness, peace and joy which are fruits of the Holy Spirit. God gives this fruit to those who yield their life to the rule of the Holy Spirit within them. Then, as the Kingdom forms it rule within us, these fruits spring up from the deepest chasms of our inner being. They then begin to form an internal foundation that character, all gifts, and spiritual authority can be built upon.

Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The stage of the Kingdom is being set within us and faith is building. Once the foundation is dry, and we understand the internal setting of the Kingdom, we can embark on other more obvious Kingdom matters.

Blessings,

John Paul

NOTE: Some feel my posts are too long and cover too much territory. I will try to shorten them and be more succinct.

The world was pretty dark in 28 AD. Think what it would be like if you were to go back in time. Now imagine you are orbiting the Earth in a spacecraft, and when you look out the window of the spaceship the only thing you can see is the spiritual light of those who worshipped the one, true, God. Think about it. The reality is, you would not see one shred of light on any continent on Earth - except in a little tiny country on the Eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Even there the lights are few and growing dim. Further more, the bright light that should have been coming from the spiritual leaders is fading fast. You might say that once again darkness is covering the face of the Earth. It was into this dark world that God sent His son - this was the “fullness of time.”

THE CIVILIZED WORLD

To make matters worse, Rome was in control of the civilized world and Israel was under Roman law. Roman garrisons were constantly in the streets of Jerusalem. Beatings were not uncommon. The spiritual leaders were corrupt and had lost sight of what righteousness means to a culture. It had come to a point where good was thought to be evil and evil was thought to be good.

ENTERING THE KINGDOM

From the last post, you have a start in understanding why the central message of Jesus was focused on the Kingdom. God knew something had to change. The urgency of the times and the necessity of the Kingdom coming is seen in the more than one hundred times it is mentioned in the Gospels alone. Jesus obviously wanted the message of the Kingdom to not only be introduced, but to continue and spread.

Herein we discover the mission of Jesus. It was designed to show mankind how they might enter the Kingdom while here on Earth (Matthew 5:20; 7:21). The great signs and wonders or “works” Jesus did were intended to prove that the Kingdom had come near to those who were touched, changed, and transformed by its unearthly authority and power (Matthew 12:28). Moreover, the eight Kingdom parables of Jesus were intended to illustrate the truth concerning the present and future reality of that Kingdom. As the concept matured, it would define the where and how the Kingdom operates and define the internal and external matters of the Kingdom.

JESUS PERPETUATES THE MESSAGE

The main trumpeter of the Kingdom, John the Baptist, was now in prison and could no longer herald the coming Kingdom. What was to be done? Jesus picked up the message, to perpetuate the Kingdom, insuring that the Kingdom and its message would not be stopped. Thus Jesus begins His ministry.

Matthew 4:12, 17   “Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. … 17 From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

WITH THAT MESSAGE JESUS CALLED HIS DISCIPLES

Jesus calls His disciples to follow Him with this message. He would spend each day demonstrating the Kingdom to these twelve men He would mentor. They would watch Him and they would learn. He would empower them and teach them how to utilize and apply the Kingdom gifts.

Matthew 9:37-10:1 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

WITH THIS MESSAGE JESUS SENT HIS DISCIPLES OUT

It is with this message that Jesus sends His disciples out into the harvest fields. He told them the grain was plentiful, ripe, and ready for harvest. The world was starving for the implementation of the Kingdom. When these disciples came to tell Jesus what had happened, it became obvious that soon they would know the Kingdom was for everybody who would follow Jesus.

In the span of three and one half years He would impart to them all He could and He would leave them the command to teach others about the Kingdom. In so doing Jesus placed these men in charge of advancing that Kingdom on Earth. The Kingdom hinged on their obedience.

Matthew 10:7-8  “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons.  Freely you have received, freely give.”

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”

Everything Jesus taught His disciples concerned the Kingdom. Every gift He imparted to them concerned the Kingdom. There was nothing Jesus taught them that did not have direct application to the Kingdom of God coming to Earth.

This is our mandate as well … so we pray, “Your Kingdom come, your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” What if the Kingdom hinged on your obedience as well?

Blessings,

John Paul Jackson

THE COLLAPSE OF THE KINGDOM

In the time around 28 AD, no one in over four hundred years had talked publicly about the Kingdom of God except John the Baptist. Oh, one might once in a while hear it queried about in religious conversations here and there, but to the amazement of the synagogue leaders one could hear it everywhere. That is until John the Baptist was imprisoned, and hope quickly dimmed.

How quickly the cloud of hopelessness covered the land. You could walk through the streets of any city or town and not only see the effect of this dark moment, but tangibly feel the darkness. The people once again walked with their heads down, their shoulders a little more slumped forward, their breathing a little more stressed … hope had come and was taken away, hearts were sick. Their faces wore the poignant thoughts pummeling their minds as they wondered, “Has the Coming of the Kingdom been stopped?” “Would it still come?” “Had Herod stopped the return of the Messiah?” So close … so close … Rome won again.

Then came Jesus …

JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY

You might ask why did Jesus wait to begin His ministry until John the Baptist had been imprisoned? You might also ask, why did Jesus make the message of the Kingdom the central focus of His ministry? It was all part of a plan, laid out from before the foundation of the world.

Jesus  and the Kingdom came in “the fullness of time” which was precisely at the darkest hour on the face of the Earth. Thus He was prophesied to be the “Light of the world.”

To understand this you have to understand the timing of the kingdom. It is important to recognize John was correct, he had to decrease and Jesus must increase. Perhaps John knew the manner in which this would happen, perhaps he didn’t. Either way John too would question if Jesus was really the Messiah and Jesus would answer that question before John would be beheaded. The forerunner had done what the “one who appeared” to him had commanded.

SATAN HATES THE KINGDOM MESSAGE

Satan hates the Kingdom of God and clearly he thought he had won the battle and his empire would stay intact with the murder of John. Satan had enjoyed ruling the Earth for more than 4,000 years. He felt he had been so cleaver in the manner in which he had deceived Adam and Eve. In so doing he gained not only the rule over the very Earth he had been cast down to, but he also gained the legal rule over God’s greatest, and special creation - mankind. All it took was to plant the little tiny thought that man could become like God. Satan never imagined that God might one day come as man.

Yes, Satan hates the Kingdom, he knows it is the only thing that can stop his empire from transforming and truly becoming a Kingdom, and Satan was and still is determined that nothing is going to stop his empire - not if he can help it.

THE BREAKING OF ALL DARK FORCES

The heart of Jesus must have sank with compassion as he heard his cousin John had been imprisoned. He must have also known it was a sign that it was time to step up the pace of the Kingdom. So He headed straight to Nazareth, the city where He was raised. There he would stand in the synagogue and read the words written by the Prophet Isaiah some seven hundred years earlier. Words that defined the Kingdom and what the power and the authority of the Kingdom would mean.

“The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.” Luke 4:18-19

From there Jesus began to go to all the towns surrounding Galilee (Luke 4:43-44) and to tell the good news of the Kingdom. This is the first time Jesus called it the “Good News.” Why was it called the good news? Because, if you read it with eyes that see, you will notice that every force both natural and invisible, that is meant keep you from your purpose, can be broken or removed through the power and authority of the Kingdom.

7 FACETS OF THE KINGDOM

Thus it is with this remarkable message of the Kingdom that Jesus begins His ministry and instantly the message of the Kingdom took on many more facets than the one facet of repentance with baptism that John shouted to all who would hear. It was Jesus who brought the clarity for what would become a 3 ½ yearlong Kingdom campaign. In it’s basic format, this Kingdom Campaign contained seven elements and with these seven elements everything on Earth would change. These elements were meant to:

• Remind us that righteousness is the first requirement for the kingdom to work and repentance is the first step toward righteousness (Matthew 6:33)
• Change how mankind thought about the Father (John 12:48)
• Redeem the world from sin (John 3:17)
• Destroy the works of the evil one. (1 John 3:8)

• Impregnate the world with the leaven of the Kingdom (Matthew 3:33)
• Reveal to mankind how they might enter the Kingdom of God while alive on Earth. (Matthew 5:20; 7:21)
• Repeal the earthly sovereignty of Satan (Hebrews 2:14)

One might say that when Satan had John the Baptist killed, Satan jumped from the frying pan into the fire. The Kingdom began to surge rather than slow down. While Satan thought he had killed the voice of the Kingdom, he actually released the King of the Kingdom. Soon it would cost him his empire of darkness.

Jesus did not come to attack the sovereignty of man, but the sovereignty of Satan.

That was proved as He read the prophecy of Isaiah and from that time forward, Satan would no longer have the legal right to force people to serve Him.

“Inasmuch then as the children have flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him had the power of death, that is, the devil,…” Hebrews 2:14

Through sin, we submit ourselves to Satan, therefore he is called the god of this age by the Apostle Paul. And as such, Satan had a right to rule the Earth and mankind.

“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.” 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

THE KINGDOM CAMPAIGN

Herein is a spiritual law, “The Kingdom advances at the rate Evil is destroyed.” Thus the Son of God appeared in order destroy the works of the devil. That empire had to fall. Jesus could not come in the form of God to establish and instigate the system of the Kingdom. No, Jesus would have to come fully as a human in order to overcome that which the first human had failed to do. Adam was not God therefore, Jesus would have to become man.

To establish a Kingdom, there has to be a strategy. Thus, the first thing that would be necessary in order to destroy the work of the evil one, and establish God’s Kingdom would be to create a system that can stop the legal access Satan and his minions have to humanity. This system would have to so fully cover sin in man that mankind could actually become pure, spotless and white as snow. In fact they could become so pure it would be as if that person never sinned.

Because an individual commits sin, repentance must be on an individual basis alone. The repentance from dead works could not be a form of collective salvation decided by the consensus of the masses. Sin began within an individual and it would have to be eradicated by an individual. After all that is where the dead works of sin begin - inside us. While we may have been tempted by elements on the outside, we gave in to it on the inside.

Thus the crucifixion campaign must precede the Kingdom campaign. This would provide the system or soil that the Kingdom campaign could take root in, and grow to become so large it could provide for everyone who chose to live within its parameters (Matthew 13:32). If Jesus was, as John states, “the Word” and what Jesus taught was His Word, then the Kingdom is also His Word and it can be sown in many types of soil and bring in a harvest of 30, 60, or a 100 fold. Of course there are those whose soil is not prepared, for many different reasons, and they allow the seed of the Kingdom to be stolen, choked out, or die. But, repentance allows our soil to be prepared for the seed of the Kingdom to flourish.

One of the greatest things about repentance is that it removes everything one has in common with Satan. Therefore, it removes the legal right of Satan to attack you as well as his legal right to accuse you before the Father. This is a foundational and elementary principle of the Kingdom (Hebrews 6:1-3). It is why the Kingdom must begin within you, which is where repentance begins. Thus the necessity of the individual having godly sorrow over their sin becomes very important (2 Corinthians 7:10). It creates deep soil, which qualifies you to not only be a carrier, but a doer of the Kingdom rather than just one who talks about it.

As you know, Jesus not only talked about the Kingdom, He designed and became the system whereby the Kingdom could reside within us, and empower us to overcome the works of the evil one on a personal basis.

Truly, the wisdom of God is beyond that of mankind.

Blessings,

John Paul

“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.” Psalms 45:6

“LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.” Psalms 103:19

“They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, And talk of Your power,” Psalms 145:11

“To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.” Psalms 145:12-13

HISTORICAL THOUGHTS

Over the two millennia since the resurrection of Jesus there have been many thoughts about the Kingdom of Heaven.

To the Jewish people of the time, the use of kingdom-language was bound up with the hope and expectation that Israel’s “One God” would rule over the Earth. Thus, the Kingdom of God was not an unknown phrase with some general religious aura: it was the Jewish way of talking about Israel’s God becoming a king. God’s kingdom, to the common Jew-in-the-village meant the coming vindication of Israel, through victory over the pagans, and the result would be the eventual gift of peace, justice and prosperity applied with equity everywhere.

Since that time, some have thought the Kingdom was simply a prayer relationship between man and God to keep them connected to each other. Albert Schweitzer thought the Kingdom was merely a spot in eternity, a future reality, when time is stopped and a new Heavenly order began. Augustine thought the Kingdom was the rule of the church over all forms of government on the Earth. Others have thought it was a place reserved in the afterlife for those who accepted Jesus while alive on Earth. Truth is … the Kingdom is all that and much, much, more.

ROOTED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Contrary to much historical and current thinking, the Kingdom of God is deeply rooted in the Old Testament. The primary reference to God’s Kingdom is found in the Psalms, but the coming of His reign, and man’s responsibility therein is interwoven throughout the fabric of the Old Testament, beginning with Adam and his mandate from God to subdue the earth. This Kingdom is in fact the City that all the fathers of the faith, mentioned in Hebrews 11, looked for.

After Adam and prior to the coming of Jesus the only ones who thought about the Kingdom of God were the Hebrew people. They understood that there is One Eternal, living God who would periodically reveal Himself to mankind. The Hebrew children understood that God had a purpose for the human race. They also understood that He had chosen the Hebrew people to implement and accomplish that purpose. They looked forward to the fulfillment of all that the prophets had prophesied; the coming day when mankind would live together in peace (Isa 2:4). A day when the problems of man would be solved, death, sorrow, sickness would be abolished. Even the animal kingdom would be at peace with each other (Isa. 11:6) and the Earth would respond to man’s instruction once again.

They believed this Kingdom would come on the Earth as a single event. The Kingdom would be brought about by the coming of the Messiah … and so it was, just not as they had anticipated.

INTRODUCED BY JOHN THE BAPTISER

The Kingdom is Coming … It had been over four hundred years since the people had heard anything like it, “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand” (Mat. 4:17). The message was so fresh, so alive, as if it were literally breathed from Heaven. The people were asking if the rumor could be true? And the priests had to have an answer for that question.

You could almost hear the sound of the whispers of the people mounting. Thousands were now going to see and hear the baptizer, the proclaimer of this coming Kingdom. The buzz of the people must have sounded much like a breeze at first, yet, as it gained numbers, it began to sound more like a wind. But, to the sanctimonious leaders of the day it sounded more like a roar. The words echoed throughout the land, and even through the leaders heads, the Kingdom is coming, the Kingdom is coming, the Kingdom is coming - they heard it everywhere. From the very beginning they wanted to stop it, but they didn’t know how. Three and a half years later, Herod Antipas would take care of that for them.

JOHN’S SUPPOSED REBELLION

John the Baptist, the first and only son of a priest, had chosen not to go into the priesthood. In that matter alone he was judged, by the religious authority of the day, to be rebellious. Everyone knew that tradition made it clear the firstborn son of a Levite was to be a priest. They also knew the Torah commanded that the first born male was to be the Lord’s. Now, here John was, roaming the desert, clothed in Camel sin, acting like a wild man and proclaiming that everyone, including the temple and synagogue leaders must repent!

How ludicrous, how brazen, how insane they thought John was. They also believed John’s message was a heresy and must be stopped. After all, if the Kingdom was coming, then the Messiah would have to come first and if anyone would know when the Messiah was coming they would. But as God so often does, the Messiah was not revealed to the wise, instead He was revealed to the supposed insane who called those very leaders - vipers.

SEVEN - THE NUMBER OF COMPLETION AND PERFECTION

John the Baptist’s ministry lasted three and one half years, he died when he was thirty three - the same age and length of ministry that his cousin Jesus would have. The seven year total of the two ministries completed the formation of the Kingdom seed that was planted with the burial of Jesus. Today we see the Kingdom has never stopped and the prophecy of the Prophet Isaiah is still coming true.

“Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.” Isaiah 9:7

STOPPING THE VOICE

The leaders failed to notice the forerunner of the Light of the World, in fact their hearts were so hardened, that when they heard that Herod had imprisoned John the Baptist, they thought God had intervened on their behalf to punish John for his heresy. Herod would kill this Kingdom blasphemer -they would not have to. They would not have to risk an uprising of the people. They were finally rid of the heretic.

John would be kept in prison for eighteen months before Herod fulfilled his word to Herodias and had him beheaded. Why did Satan put beheading into the heart of Herodias - because, if his head was cut off he would never be able to speak of the Kingdom again.  Everyone thought the message of the Kingdom had been stopped, everyone but … .

Blessings,

John Paul

The Truth of The Kingdom is no small topic. It has a profoundly simple mission statement, “God rules over all things.” But then why don’t we see more of that rule? When will we see more of it? Is there a process to it finally flourishing? Has the Kingdom of God always been or is this merely a teaching of Jesus? Yes, the Topic of the Kingdom is simple and as complex as you want to make it. Yet, you will find out that this truth, no matter how simple it is made, is far deeper and higher than the intellect of man can understand. You must learn the basic principles of the Kingdom before you can apply the more complex principles.

Many who will be reading this blog and the Topic of The Truth of the Kingdom know little about the Kingdom. Some have never even heard of the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven, which, as we will find out, are close to each other but not specifically the same.

So for those of you who are more familiar with the Kingdom than others be patient. For those of you who are more of a novice to this truth, read the Scriptures, especially the ones I note in each post. To come to know the truth of the Kingdom is worth any effort one can put forth to discover it.

You are about to go on the most important journey of your life. It will change you from the inside out. It will change the way you perceive matters of the Earth. It will change how you view the political system, it will change the way you work and the way you do business. There is nothing in or about your life that the understanding of the Kingdom will not change.

Jesus and the salvation He brought through His sinless life, freely giving Himself to be crucified on the cross, descending into Sheol and taking the keys of authority, being raised from the dead, being seen again on Earth - as attested to by over 500 people, and ascending to the Father, did more for you than just offer you everlasting life. He placed responsibility for the Kingdom back into your hands. Truly, truly the Earth is groaning for you to believe this truth.

REIMPLEMENTING THE KINGDOM

What Jesus did justified the broad spread advancement of the Kingdom and with that advancement comes everything pertaining to the Kingdom. This includes regeneration and restoration of all things visible and invisible, above the Earth, on the Earth, and beneath the Earth. Everything can be regenerated, except those spiritual beings that were once in Heaven and subsequently tried to overthrow that Kingdom thinking they could become like God. Those beings cannot be touched, regenerated, and restored to their original purpose through the manifestation of the Kingdom - all else can.

The highest manifestation of the Kingdom happens through mankind. That could not happen without Jesus coming fully as man. He could not come spiritually as man and claim to have overcome what the first Adam failed to overcome. He had to fully take the form or body of man to make this all happen. That is why the prophets who prophesied of His coming called Him “the Son of Man.” In taking the body of a man, and being born as any man is born, Jesus restored God’s original plan for mankind on the Earth and the ripple effect on creation is enormous and unending.

SIMPLE TRUTH

Simply said, the Truth of the Kingdom is this; “The Kingdom is the righteous power and authority of God to justifiably rule over all He created.” He has chosen humanity as His ruling agents or ambassadors on Earth. More so, all of Creation was and is created to function at its highest, optimal level, through individual human beings being submitted to God through belief in His Son. These believers are holy beings, spiritual giants, who are not squatters in the Kingdom, but conquers of evil and even more than conquers through Christ Jesus. Who are these great people who will do wonderful exploits? They are you!

SPIRITUAL GIANTS

These holy believers will seek to overcome and destroy all that seek to stop this Kingdom. Sin, at its base form, is that which seeks to stop the Kingdom of God. By this I am not advocating violence against humans, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood,” but we wrestle against spiritual wickedness that seeks to rule through humanity. That is why the elementary principles of the faith (Hebrews 6:1-3), repentance, the laying on of hands, and water baptism, as well as praying for the sick, and giving to the poor, all destroy evil.

CREATION AWAITS YOU

Therefore, all of creation awaits these individuals who are not simply content to resurrect and go to Heaven, making it in the gates just prior to the gates slamming shut. These are those who long to display, in this life, the power and authority now given to them by the Father. They long for their life to be a living witness to God’s Existence. They believe that power and authority is dispersed to those who believe, so they can destroy the works of the evil one.

In light of man’s early failure to overcome darkness the chances of mankind getting back the power and authority he lost was zero. Yet, then came Jesus who longed for mankind to rule this Earth. He also knew, from before the Earth was created, that in order for mankind to have this power and authority given to mankind, a human had to not only destroy and overcome the works of evil, but that human would also have to imprison or take captive that which held mankind - you captive.

GROWTH OF THE KINGDOM

As with the advancement of any army of any Kingdom, the fullness or completeness of the Kingdom grows as evil is eradicated throughout the land. You are an agent in that army. You were created to destroy this evil. The coming posts on this blog are designed to help you to know, understand and believe this essential truth. To the degree your spirit accepts and ingests this truth - that is the degree to which you will be able to overcome darkness or evil. Creation’s purpose hinges on you and until you manifest this truth the full purpose of the Earth and the rest of creation will dangle in futility.

You were not just created; you were specifically designed for such a time as this (Acts 17:26-2). You were given unique abilities by the Creator to aid you in the accomplishment of this task and it will take your whole life on Earth to do it.

It is time to get started.

Blessings,

John Paul

A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born,

And a time to die;

A time to plant,

And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill,

And a time to heal;

A time to break down,

And a time to build up;

A time to weep,

And a time to laugh;

A time to mourn,

And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones,

And a time to gather stones;

A time to embrace,

And a time to refrain from embracing;

A time to gain,

And a time to lose;

A time to keep,

And a time to throw away;

A time to tear,

And a time to sew;

A time to keep silence,

And a time to speak;

A time to love,

And a time to hate;

A time of war,

And a time of peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

To everything there is a season, and the season of the Tabernacle has drawn to a close for now. Though you will come and go from the Tabernacle the rest of your life, life outside the Tabernacle and the Sanctuary must be lived.  That does not mean  you have to live life in the same manner, nor at the same spiritual level as you lived before you entered this journey. What you have seen, experienced, learned, and absorbed, will go with you the rest of your life. It will drive you, draw you, and in a holy way it will haunt you. You will now hunger for that which you had no taste for before you entered this tapestry of deeper spiritual life.

There are many mysteries you have yet to discover. Another mystery is the multitude of ways the Tabernacle can be seen. We have talked about four of those ways, but there is one more that bears paying attention to. In the broader, post Pentecost spectrum, the Tabernacle is also a chart of events that have been, events that are, and events that are to come. So let’s pause to remember the layout of the Tabernacle and what each piece of furniture might mean in the timetable of God, it might just give you some insight to the future.

THE BRAZEN ALTAR

When you first entered the Tabernacle some two and one half years ago the first piece of furniture you encountered was the Brazen Laver. In the Chart of events this is where one gains knowledge about Justification by faith. Martin Luther brought this to the surface once again in 1517. Yes, we have to have works, as faith without works is dead. However, the renewed realization that faith in who Jesus the Messiah was and is, what He came to this world to do, and what it means to you, is initaly discovered here at the Brazen Altar.

THE BRAZEN LAVER

The second piece of furniture you came across was the Brazen Laver that was full of clear, pure water. This represented Water Baptism and Sanctification. John Wesley along with his brother Charles reignited this understanding in the mid 1700’s, as they formed a “Holy Club” for young men who desired to live a deeply spiritual life. A supernatural event in Wesley’s life where he says, “My heart was strangely warmed” primed the way for this desire to change the lives of hundreds of thousands. This eventually marked an entirely new era in the church and ignited a new desire for Holiness and Sanctification within the church.

These two pieces of furniture are the only ones that are mysteries, yet open for all to see. They are the drawing card for the initial Christian life. They depict a message that everlasting life and righteousness can give you hope for tomorrow and beyond the grave. The other five pieces of furniture are part of the deeper mysteries and are knowable only to those who are passionate enough about living a spiritual life on a substantially higher plane than those who are content in the Outer Court - they have to be sought for. These mysteries are available to all, but few are desperate enough to search for them with all their heart, mind, and strength.

Remember, all who are in the tabernacle have been given everlasting life, but not all will discover the Rooms of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and proceed to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God. These mysteries are only found in the high, covered, Sanctuary, which is the Mountain of The Lord.

THE FIRST ROOM: THE HOLY PLACE -THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

You have now entered the Holy Place, as you pass just beyond the curtain that seals the mysteries of both rooms you see three pieces of furniture that hold keys to understanding the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. We have covered an infinitesimally small “nano spectrum” of these mysteries. There is so much more to discover. All five of these pieces are made of Gold, all brass remains in the Outer Court. Gold is pure and even today remains a mystery, brass is an amalgamation and as such is not all that mysterious. You might pause to remember, it is in this room that you entered the Dark Night of the Soul - to everything there is a season.

THE GOLDEN LAMPSTAND

The first piece of furniture you encounter in this covered Room of Mystery is the light from the Golden Lampstand. This is the third piece of tabernacle furniture. The event on the chart of events it represents is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the early 1900’s. From this came the Topeka, Kansas outpouring, the Azusa Street outpouring and others.

Here you see the seven spiritual attributes of the oil of the Holy Spirit of the Living God. You also discovered the second light or the creative ability of the spoken word from which all matter was made. This light refracted off the two golden walls on each side of the Holy Place. This light was the light of the world, which was from the beginning of the world. There is so much we did not discuss here; the shape, the bulbs, the flowers, and so much more - and all have meanings and mysteries.

THE TABLE OF SHEWBREAD

The next piece of Tabernacle furniture, the fourth piece is The Table of Shewbread. The Table of Shewbread and the Bread thereon represents the provision of God for all our needs; specifically it represents health and the Doctrine of Laying on of Hands or the Healing movement that began in the 1940’s. This bread is the Body of Christ, and all who would enter the Kingdom of Heaven must eat of His body and apply it to their life.

This too is made of Gold and holds the Bread of Life, which is the provision of health, healing, sustenance, and Life. It also held up the incense of Frankincense, an amplifier, and a preserver of all it surrounds. As the bread is taken in, it furnishes needed nutrition for tomorrows battles. Without it we cannot even think clearly. Here too we have skimmed over so many mysteries such as the golden crown around the top of the table, the construction of the table, how the bread was to be broken and dispersed. Even the mystery of the bread being the body of Jesus that is broken for you - you must eat of it to enter the kingdom. The many mysteries of the Table of Shewbread abound and are worth the searching out.

THE GOLDEN ALTAR OF INCENSE

The Golden Altar of Incense, the fifth piece of Tabernacle furniture, represents the selfless and priestly nature of Intercession and the deeply held passion for worship and praise. Some might say this began with the Wesley’s, but the aspect of Intercession along with worship and praise more likely began, strangely enough, in the Jesus People movement that began in the mid 1960’s.

Here, at the Golden Altar of Incense, you learn patience and how to overcome “self” and the Dark Night of the Soul closes as the Veil just before you raises.

These three pieces of furniture along with all other articles, rings, clasps, materials, spices, fragrances, and multiple other smaller things represent the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven

THE SECOND ROOM: THE HOLY OF HOLIES - THE MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

This is the room where God chose to manifest His presence in a more tangible manner. God is Spirit - it is the Room of the Spirit. God is Holy - it is the Holiest Room of all. In this room, beyond the Veil, lies the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God. Herein we see three golden walls and the eternal, pure light of God the Father is intensely refracted from those three walls. Here, for a season, you enter the Dark Night of the Spirit - yet, “In His Light we see Light.”

THE GOLDEN ARK OF THE COVENANT

The Ark of the Covenant, the sixth piece of Tabernacle furniture, and the three items it contained represents Signs, Wonders, and the Miraculous, I believe we were reintroduced to Signs and Wonders by John Wimber in the 1980’s. Perhaps better said, John certainly represented the Almond Rod that budded. Perhaps others will represent the Tablets of Stone (now flesh) a fresh call to righteousness and holiness, and someone else will represent the Manna which is the supernatural provision of God.

In another manner the Ark is Jesus who was the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Articles inside this Ark were also to depict those three important facets of the life of Jesus, the Law was to reveal the Way; the Manna was to reveal the Truth; and the Rod was to reveal the disciplined Life we are to live. Jesus was all of these.

THE GOLDEN MERCY SEAT

The arching wings of the Cherubim on the Mercy Seat make a canopy for the presence of God to reside. The Mercy Seat is the seventh piece of Tabernacle furniture. Here we understand that without His mercy we would be consumed. Here we also find that God wants us to succeed so much that He gave His Son’s blood to cover our sins. In fact the Blood of Jesus is sprinkled on every piece of Tabernacle furniture, from the Brazen Altar to the Mercy Seat. Here, In God’s mercy you are introduced to the dynamics of other spiritual beings that God created to help you reach your purpose, These spiritual beings were also created to glorify God. Mercy is found in not receiving what you deserve.

Perhaps the fullness of the Mercy Seat will not be found until the Judgment Seat of Christ - or perhaps there is yet another mystery to be revealed. Either way, you have not come to the fullness of the seventh piece of furniture yet. The complete meaning lies yet to come in the future. How it will be fulfilled, is also a mystery. Perhaps the book of Revelation holds keys to the final chapter of the Mercy Seat. Whatever the case may be there is no end to the mysteries that you may discover as you spend the rest of your life coming in and going out of this remarkable Eden of God to bring this precious Kingdom of the Living God to all you meet.

So many things God does, He does in the heptagon of sevens. Discover the “seven’s” of God and you will find many clues to many mysteries of God.

As you now understand, this is a progressive walk, a transition into transformation, which will form you into the very image of God. It is Christ in you, the hope of Glory that will radiate from your life. You will prove God exists to all you meet and the world will be the better for it.

Yes, “To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under Heaven.” We will begin the next journey,  - The Truth of the Kingdom, - the first week in November, 2010. We’ll take a break for a couple of weeks until then. Be at peace, shalom.

Blessings on your journey,

John Paul

“For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me;” Psalms 27:5

“You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man;” Psalms 31:20

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalms 91:1

“But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place;” Matthew 6:6

SECRETS AND MYSTERIES

There is only one place where true secrets and mysteries are found, and that place is in the Sanctuary, where things that cannot be seen from the outside can now be seen to exist. There are so many Thomas’s who do not believe unless they see. Yet, they do not take up the Cross of Jesus, which is the key to the entrance of the Sanctuary. So many pick up the Cross to enter the Tabernacle, but then they believe they no longer have to carry the Cross in here - so they lay it down. In so doing they insure they will stay in the Outer Court. Yes, they are reconciled to God, but there are so many secrets, beauties and wonders they will miss.

BENEFITS OF THE SANCTUARY

Reread the all of the verses at the beginning of this post. They all speak of the benefits of living in the Holy of Holies. The smoke, the darkness, and the covering of the Holy of Holies of God is described in all these verses. Do you now see … “He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.” Psalms 18:11 … This is the Holy of Holies the Psalmist is describing.

You’ll miss the fullness of these benefits if you do not dwell in the Rooms of Mystery. You may stay in the Outer Court, but you’ll miss the benefits. “Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits,” Psalms 68:19; You may be able to quote the following verse, but do you understand it applies to those who abide in the Holy of Holies?

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalms 103:2-5

No wonder the Psalmist asks what can he, in return, give to God for all the benefits he received. “What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me?” Psalms 116:12. All these benefits are found in the Sanctuary, yet they are mysteries to all who remain in the Outer Court. However, the answer is simply this, “Take up your cross and follow” Him.

The Psalmist understood the benefit that righteousness before God and we know the Cross brings in our lives. You may remember from previous posts that the Hill mentioned here is the tall, brown, badger skin covered Sanctuary.

“Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” Psalms 24:3-5

YOU IN HIM - HIM IN YOU

The Apostle John writes of what Jesus said, that the Holy Spirit is with you, but He shall be in you (John 14:17). He is with you in the Outer Court, You breathe Him into you in the Sanctuary. Here, in the Rooms of Mystery you find yet another mystery; unknowingly you are living in rooms within the very heart of God and at the same time, He is living in rooms within you.

As I wrote before there are several lifetimes of mysteries herein. I am endeavoring to stir your spirit, so that it can rule your mind. When that occurs you will not fail to recognize the many and various mysteries as you come upon them in your journey. This will eventually become a great joy within you.

Here in the Sanctuary is where you will find the joy of the Lord. Joy that only a few, so far, have found.  You see, the Scripture says it is the joy of the Lord that is your strength, not your joy in the Lord. God has the greatest joy that can be found in creation.

Here are a few of the multitude of benefits found in the Sanctuary.

Help

“May He send you help from the sanctuary,” Psalms 20:2

Power and Glory

“So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,

To see Your power and Your glory.” Psalms 63:2

Procedure

“They have seen Your procession, O God,

The procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary.” Psalms 68:24

Understanding

“Until I went into the sanctuary of God;

Then I understood their end.” Psalms 73:17

The Way of God

“Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary;” Psalms 77:13

Strength, Beauty, Honor, Majesty are there

“Honor and majesty are before Him;

Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.” Psalms 96:6

We are to lift our hands and bless the Lord there

“Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,

And bless the LORD.” Psalms 134:2

We are to Praise God there

“Praise the LORD!

Praise God in His sanctuary;” Psalms 150:1

You in Him - Him in you, this is a mystery and as with all Kingdom matters it takes faith to discover them and even more faith to live them.

Blessings,

John Paul

“Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” Genesis 2:15

“Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” … But He was speaking of the temple of His body.” John 2:19, 21

“And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables.” … And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?” Mark 4:11-13

EDEN

The Earth was raw, and untamed, and Eden was to be the staging ground for mankind’s subduing and taking dominion of it. The man had been created outside the Garden and the woman, who stood gracefully a few feet from him, had been created within the confines of this beautiful estate. She had never known what it was like to be outside in the untamed, and uncharted wilderness, but he, Adam did.

Before God placed him here in this garden and introduced them to each other, Adam had some time to see what he was up against out there. She was here to help him and he needed all the help he could get in order to subdue the Earth. He didn’t even know how big it was - no maps back then, no NASA photographs. All Adam knew was that everything he could see would respond to him and obey him. In time the Earth would be subdued, just as God had told him to do. Somehow, he was to make this planet look a whole lot like Heaven. That it might be here, just as it is there.

TABERNACLE

Moses stood back, his hands resting on his hips, looking at the sight before him. He had done it; it was completed. What he had seen in Heaven was now built on Earth. Somehow, he knew that Eden had been built again and as these thoughts raced through his mind, his hands began to rise upward toward Heaven, toward God, the - I AM That I AM. Here in this hot, dusty, desert, God could now be found in the covered tent, the Sanctuary that stood like a mountain before him. It was amazing; man could talk with God again, commune with Him, and even get direction and wisdom from Him. Moses thought to himself, one day the whole Earth will worship the only wise and Eternal God. Why God had placed the responsibility for making that happen into his hands and the hands of this stiff-necked people, Moses still did not understand. Somehow God would receive greater Glory for it, Moses trusted God.

TEMPLE

The disciples looked curiously at each other as they heard Jesus refer to the Temple and how He would rebuild it in three days. They did not know then what they would know in a matter of months. They knew the Temple was the Tabernacle and the Tabernacle was the Garden of Eden. What they did not know was that they were similarly constructed. Deep within them was a place, a spiritual place where God could meet with man. What Jesus said is becoming clearer - the Kingdom begins within you and not out there where it could be easily observed. One day, every ethos on Earth would have the opportunity to commune with God. How? That they did not yet understand, but they would grow in their belief that it would happen.

One day Jesus would tell them the same thing He told Adam and Eve. Subdue the Earth - have dominion. Yes, the words were a little different, but the basis of what they were told was the same. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen. Jesus did not tell them to go only to the Jews, but to every nation, and yes, earlier He told them to go to the Jew first. What Jesus taught the disciples would subdue the earth and dominion would be had.

This too is one mystery of many mysteries. Yes, mysteries are found in Heaven, they are found in Eden, they are found in the tabernacle and now you know they are found in you - all these mysteries are intricately woven together in the Kingdom coming to Earth just as it is in Heaven.

DEFINING THE KINGDOM AND THE TABERNACLE

I believe, in God’s grand design, He intended there to be a difference between these two Rooms of Mystery in the Sanctuary. There is a reason they are not one room. Even if no one on the outside could tell it. Not even someone standing on a high mountain looking down into the Tabernacle could see into the covered Sanctuary. Why? They have to have “eyes to see” and in the Seeing they have to have a heart to pursue knowing Him more than knowing about Him. Some theologians today still can’t tell there are two rooms, they still just see the one.

Further, no one outside of the Sanctuary knew what was on the inside, under that covering. Unless you went in. no one would know there were two rooms in that tent, let alone what the two rooms contained. But to go in … you have to pursue. This too is part of the mystery Jesus speaks of in the verses written at the beginning of this post.

MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

Thus the area everyone could see was the Outercourt where sin was removed and stains washed away. Only if you accepted this provision could you walk into the covered Rooms of Mystery and behold the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven in the first, and the Kingdom of God in the second. I do not believe it is merely semantics that separates the Kingdom of God from the Kingdom of Heaven - the difference is found in the mystery of why God separated these two rooms in the first place. Therefore, the difference between the Kingdom of Heaven and the Kingdom of God is displayed, to those who have eyes to see, right here in the Sanctuary. The difference between these two rooms will give you understanding. That is why I have called them “Rooms of Mystery” from the very beginning of my postings on the Tabernacle.

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

The Kingdom of Heaven is first experienced in the Outercourt.  However, the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven as well as the mysteries of the Kingdom of God are found in the Sanctuary. These Mysteries are not found in the Outercourt.

I believe the design, construction, and the furniture of the first Room of Mystery - the Holy Place - represents all that Jesus is as a manifestation of the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. There is a lifetime of mystery to be discovered everywhere and in everything in the Sanctuary.

There are also many mysteries in the Outercourt, but they are open for all to decipher, not so in the covered Rooms of Mystery. There is one mystery found in the Outercourt that is the Key to all the mysteries, and one must learn this to proceed, “You will not be enlightened with understanding of any these mysteries unless you have the Light of the World dwelling within you. You will pass them by and they will remain unnoticed by you.

MYSTERIES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD

The second Room of Mystery [Holy of Holies] is where you find the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God. Here is where the very presence of God rests, it is where the Father did all Jesus saw Him doing, subsequently those things Jesus saw His Father doing, He carried out on Earth. Thus, Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing. It is the Holy of Holies or the second Room of Mystery, which is the Throne Room of God to which Jesus ascended to in order to intercede before the Father - for you.

Said another way, the Ourtercourt and the furniture therein represent all Jesus did for you. He was the lamb that was sacrificed for you, He descended into the flames of hell so you would not have to, and He baptismally sanctified Himself for your sake. These, and other matters represented in the Outercourt, too numerous to write here, are all things Jesus did and was.

The Holy Place and the furniture therein, which is the first Room of Mystery in the Sanctuary, represents all that Jesus is. He is the Light to a world that sits in darkness; He is the Healer, the regenerator, the provider, the incense, the intercessor, and so much more. These are the mere tips of the mysteries.

The Holy of Holies, the second Room of Mystery in the Sanctuary, represents all that God the Father is - Authority. In order for one to have Heaven’s authority one must have the Father’s heart. I believe the Father’s Heart is one of the things Apostolic Ministry is missing today and why there is so little of miraculous. We have far to many who call themselves Apostles, when all they are, are administrators with charisma, but far too many are not true Fathers.

SUMMATION

The Kingdom of Haven is the Entirety of the Tabernacle, particularly the Outer court which contains the Sanctuary.

The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven are found in the Holy Place, under the coverings that hide it in the Sanctuary.

The Mysteries of the Kingdom of God are found in the Holy of Holies, under the coverings that hide it in the Sanctuary.

All are available to those who seek Him, but you do have to seek Him, and occupying space is not seeking.

Well, I’ve stepped on enough toes for today.

Blessings,

John Paul

In the above two verses there are three matters that must be understood and settled before one can leave the Tabernacle and traverse the terrain of the Kingdom - each of them have to do with the Tabernacle. Remember, every Jewish child was brought up knowing about the Tabernacle of Moses. They were well aware that the Tabernacle tied to the Garden of Eden, the Garden of Eden tied to the Kingdom, the Kingdom tied to Heaven (City), and Heaven tied to God. So if you understand one you could understand the basics of everything. For those of you who have friends in the New Age this is the Divine “Unified Theory of Everything” they have been looking for.

MYSTERIES

The first matter to understand is the Mystery of the Kingdom, the other two you might have glossed over in reading this passage. However, I have been hinting at them from the beginning of this blog - when I wrote of the “Rooms of Mystery.” So let’s take them one by one.

First, there are mysteries of the Kingdom and everyone will not see them. No, this is not some new form of Gnosticism, because all who are in the Tabernacle have the opportunity to know them - those who do not understand simply became stuck along the way and at some early point stopped progressing through the Tabernacle. What is sad is that whenever you get stuck, you will always fail to see and experience the glories of what awaited you.

OUTSIDE

Second, if you are on the outside of the Rooms of Mystery you will never understand what is within them. The question then contained in Mark 4:11 is this, “Outside of what? The answer is, found in the word, “Mystery.” Jesus was reminding His disciples that if you are outside the Sanctuary or “Rooms of Mystery” you would miss a lot! Think about it, in the outer court one can see everything in the Tabernacle - except what is within the walls of the covered Sanctuary. The Sanctuary was a mystery to all. The only way one can see what is in there is through the process of “priestly entering.” You as a priest before God, have the authority to enter into those mysteries. Thus, Jesus was inferring in these verses that the Understanding of the Mysteries is found in the Sanctuary. Remember, once again, the Sanctuary is composed of two rooms of Mystery - though it looks like there is only one from the outside. That too is part of the mystery and we will discuss it in the next posting.

KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING

Third, it now becomes clear that within the Sanctuary are keys. Those keys are there to give you understanding of all the parables. As Jesus said, “How then will you understand all the parables” if you do not understand the foundational matters. Verse 12 also indicates that God planned it to be that way. It is part of the Seeking and finding of God. It is also part of the seeking Him with all your heart with the promise of finding Him. If you are seeking Him with all your heart, you will never get stuck in the Outer Court!

Thus, you may see the Sanctuary and know that there are mysteries there, but you will not perceive the mysteries nor the value of the mysteries. You may even hear of what is going on in the sanctuary, but never understand why. You might even discard the mysteries as foolishness, which is what the Pharisee’s did. Yet, it was obvious that Jesus did not hold ignorance as an excuse. That is why I have been laboring to show you that which man has searched for, even though it was right before him all along.

We truly do live and move and have our being in Him, even when we feel like we are grasping.

Blessings,

John Paul Jackson